F1 enters the Digital era

To coincide with the launch of the 2015 Formula 1 season in Melbourne, F1 has launched its own YouTube channel. Normally, F1 is busy taking videos down on YouTube, but now, they’re putting videos up!

Our take

It seems that Formula 1’s governing body has finally realized that the internet is a thing. It’s got a new responsive website, a new YouTube channel and a presence on Twitter that does more than re-tweet stuff.

While F1 prides itself on excellence through technology, continuous testing and exciting its fans, its own marketing is lack luster and limiting due to stringent copyright rules and old world thinking.

The farcical result of this is evidenced in the video Redbull released on their YouTube channel last year, paying homage to Daniel Ricciardo’s first F1 win. What could have been an emotive, viral content piece was watered down to a collection of stills set to music – Redbull wings clipped by Bernie’s antiquated copyright rules.

This closed off world is contradictory to the open world we now live. F1 needs to appeal to a new, younger audience with content that excites, makes the heart beat fast and gets people engaged enough to buy tickets. F1’s YouTube channel 1.0 is a start, but it needs constant curating and attention to keep current and become a credible channel.

F1 was in its prime 10-15 years ago, but it’s not 1995 anymore. Come on F1 – excite us, share with us and above all…. listen to your fans

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